There's been a lot of debate over the years about the possible adverse effects of television on children. A recent study suggests that viewing lots of sexual activity on TV prods sexual exploration in children. The study jives with common sense and my intuitions, but Ill hold off on using it as a rallying cry for less must on TV because I haven't yet read the study for myself to see if the statistics are trustworthy.
Following up on the previous story…
What Our Kids Know About Sex: All Mechanics, No Meaning
Recently I found myself in a classroom conversation with a group of 15- and 16-year-old girls about sex and relationships. Bogged down at one point over the question of sexual values, I said, “How about if we shift gears? Let’s talk about the meaning that sex is supposed to have in people’s lives. Maybe that will help us think more clearly.” “Meaning?” the girl next to me said, looking totally nonplussed. “Sex is supposed to have meaning? What do you mean by that?” My heart sank.I knew that popular culture had undermined fundamental values, but until that moment I hadn’t realized, or accepted, quite how profoundly. The sexual revolution really is over, I thought, and sex has finally lost.
Cohabiting can make marriage an iffy proposition
Even married, men may still feel less committed
An expert addressing a “Smart Marriages” conference this week will drop research on his colleagues that may indeed make some Americans smart.
Researcher Scott Stanley’s case is this: Women living unmarried with guys and expecting a lasting, committed marriage down the line had better review their options. His research finds that men who cohabit with the women they eventually marry are less committed to the union than men who never lived with their spouses ahead of time.